British currency will soon feature black, Asian and ethnic minority figures for the first time, it has been reported.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering the move after campaigners issued proposals to have influential BAME people appear on a set of coins, Treasury minister John Glen told The Sunday Telegraph.
British-Jamaican Crimean War nurse Mary Seacole and Noor Inayat Khan, who was a World War II agent and one of only four women to have received the George Cross, are among those under consideration, as well as the first Indian and Gurkha soldiers.
Mary Jane Seacole was a British-Jamaican businesswoman and nurse who set up the “British Hotel” behind the lines during the Crimean War. She described this as “a mess-table and comfortable quarters for sick and convalescent officers”, and provided succour for wounded servicemen on the battlefield. (Wikipedia)
Plans have been submitted to the Royal Mint, which has been encouraged by the Treasury to draft proposals and designs for potential coins.
Mr Sunak is said to be “keen to support” the “timely proposal”.
“The Chancellor is aware of this. We are obviously supportive and keen to be positive about it, we need to see some firm proposals from the Royal Mint but we are keen for this to happen,” Mr Glen told the newspaper.
Non-white individuals have yet to feature on British coins or notes.
The Banknotes of Colour campaign, led by former Conservative Party parliamentary candidate Zehra Zaidi, has been fighting for representation.
The Chancellor has previously expressed support for the anti-racist cause highlighted by the Black Lives Matter protests.
He has also supported calls for widespread changes in attitudes about race. “As a British Asian of course I know that racism exists in this country. And I know people are angry and frustrated. They want to see, and feel, change,” he said.
Source: Sky News.
